Process of preserving fruits, &amp;c.



UNITED STATES ADRIAAN LOUIS DE STllRLER, OF OVERVEEN, NEAR HAARLEM,

NETHERLANDS.

PROCESS OF PRESERVING FRUITS, 80G.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N01 694,301, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed August 15, 1900. Serial No. 26,987. (No specimens.) I

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADRIAAN LoUIs DE STiiRLER, chemist, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at 262 Zylweg,0ver- 5 veen, near I-Iaarlem, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Preservation of Fruit, Vegetables, Meat, Eggs, and other Like Perishable Substances, of which [0 the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the preservation of vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs, and other perishable substances, either for storage or transit.

Hitherto in the preservation of foods, particularly fruit or meat destined for transit, it has been usual to inclose them in wrappers or coverings, which in the case of meat consist of muslin, the foodsbeing enveloped in this manner with the object of protecting them from the injurious effects of germs or bacteria contained in the air. This method has not, however, been found satisfactory or reliable, as the substances treated are often found unfit for human food or in an unmarketable condition after transit, thus often causing serious loss.

The object of my invention is to treat foods externally in such manner that they shall be 0 preserved for storage in transit for a much longer time than has hitherto generally been possible, and thus enable many kinds of foods, such as perishable fruits, to be transported long distances by sea or land and delivered in aperfectly fresh condition.

According to my invention the surface of the food or substance to be preserved is first treated with a sterilizing medium-such, for instance, as sulfurous acid, formic aldehyde,

4o orboracic acidby which the surface of the goorsfibstance as closely as possible, so as to exclude air from the surface of the said food or substance. The food or substance inclosed in the wrapper is then coated with or inclosed in a covering of heavy hydrocarbon, such as paraffin or other mineral grease or wax or spermaceti. This hydrocarbon covering may be applied to all kinds of foodswhich are not too delicate for such treatment by rapidly dipping the food enveloped in the wrapper in a bath of the said hydrocarbon heated to a temperature of about 40 to 80 centigrade, the temperature varying according to the class'of food it is required to preserve.

I claim- V 1. The method of preserving foodwhich consists in treating the surface of the food with a gaseous sterilizing agent, then closely enveloping the sterilized food in a paper cover so as to leave no space between the coverand food for the collection of gas or moisture,and then dipping the said cover containing the food into a bath of waxy hydro carbon whereby the food is effectively sealed from the atmosphere and the hydrocarbon is prevented from coming into contact with the food, substantially as described.

2. The method ofpreserving food which consists in treating the surface of the food with formaldehyde gas, then closely'enveloping the food in a paper cover so as to leave no space between thesurface of the food and the cover' for the collection of moisture or gas, then dipping the paper cover containing the food into liquid paraffin-wax and permitting it to cool, whereby the sterilized food is sealed from the atmosphere and the paper cover prevents the flavor or smell of petroleum affecting the food, substantially as de scribed. p

3. The herein-described method of preserv= ing foods, which consists of the. following steps in the order named, first, sterilizing the surface of the food, then closely enveloping the sterilized food in a sterilized wrapper causing said wrapper to snugly embrace the food and exclude the air from between the food and wrapper and then inclosing said wrapper and food in a covering of heated heavy hydrocarbon substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 31st day of July, 1900.

ADRIAAN LOUIS on sriiamia.

Witnesses:

W. EDWARD LAKE, WALTER J. SKERTEN. 

